imperial official, who warned us kindly, and
in the same hour and place we fell into the hands of the torturers. She
gazed only up to heaven, and I only at her, but in the midst of the
most frightful torments I saw before me the Saviour beckoning to me,
surrounded by angels that soared on soft airs, whose presence filled my
eyes with the purest light, and my ears with heavenly music. She bore
the utmost torture without flinching, only once she called out the name
of her son Hermas; then I turned to look at her, and saw her gazing up
to Heaven with wide open eyes and trembling lips-living, but already
with the Lord--on the rack, and yet in bliss. My stronger body clung to
the earth; she found deliverance at the first blow of the torturer.

"I myself closed her eyes, the sweetest eyes in which Heaven was ever
mirrored, I drew a ring from her dear, white, blood-stained hand, and
here under the rough sheepskin I have it yet; and I pray, I pray, I
pray--oh! my heart! My God if it might be--if this is the end--!"

Paulus put his hand to his head, and sank exhausted on the bed, in
a deep swoon. The sick man had followed his story with breathless
interest. Some time since he had risen from his bed, and, unobserved by
his companion, had sunk on his knees; he now dragged himself, all hot
and trembling, to the side of the senseless man, tore the sheep's fell
from his breast, and with hasty movement sought the ring; he found it,
and fixing on it passionate eyes, as though he would melt it with their
fire, he pressed it again and again to his lips, to his heart, to his
lips again; buried his face in his hands and wept bitterly.

It was not till Hermas returned from the oasis that Stephanus thought
of his exhausted and fainting friend, and with his son's assistance
restored him to conscious ness. Paulus did not refuse to take some food
and drink, and in the cool of the evening, when he was refreshed and
invigorated, he sat again by the side of Stephanus, and understood from
the old man that Magdalen was certainly his wife.

"Now I know," said Paulus, pointing to Hermas, "how it is that from the
first I felt such a love for the lad there."

The old man softly pressed his hand, for he felt himself tied to his
friend by a new and tender bond, and it was with silent ecstasy that he
received the assurance that the wife he had always loved, the mother of
his child, had died a Christian and a martyr, and had found before him
the road to